Tier 4 in Georgia is a collaboration of data collected in Tiers 1 through 3. GADOE’s design includes specialized programs and instructional delivery with greater frequency of progress monitoring. It is designed to meet eligibility criteria for special program placement, including ELL, gifted and special education (GADOE, 2011). Georgia's Tier 4 does not specify a location for implementing services but indicate a layer of interventions and strategies taught in the general education class. (GADOE). In addition to disparities in the tiers used to convey RTI services, schools use diverse approaches to implementation, such as problem-solving, functional assessment, standard protocol, and a combination of other …show more content…
Researchers (Dunn, Cole, C.M., & Estrada, 2009) noted that future research should incorporate the perspective of all stakeholders (parents, teachers, students) involved in the referral process. Teachers' perspectives play a key role in the delivery of instruction in the classroom and on referral for interventions and special education testing (Dunn, et. al, 2009). A study conducted and analyzed in a suburbia area in Chicago developed and implemented an RTI process utilizing the three-tier model. Offieshi (2006) proposed that RTI models have forced educators to attempt to define and discuss what adequate instruction looks like for all learners. This study analyzed certified professional learning and perception of a district's RTI process. They gathered data, and conclusions were drawn regarding the district's approach to the training and implementation of their model. Thereby reviewing artifacts, interviewing and surveying certified members. The study concluded staff was universally indicating that teachers' perception of RTI was contingent greatly on the support and "buy-in from local school and district level administration. In an article from the